Pakistani Police Detain Afghan Media Worker in Islamabad
Pakistani police have detained a cameraman working for an Afghanistan exile media outlet in Islamabad, sources report, amid increasing arrests of Afghan journalists in Pakistan.
Sources told Khaama Press on Friday, police arrested Ataur Rahman Shirzad from Islamabad’s B17 sector, though further details about the detention remain unclear.
The detentions occur as Pakistan refuses to renew visas for Afghan asylum seekers, leaving many in legal limbo without valid documentation or protection.
Pakistan hosts one of the world’s largest Afghan refugee populations, with over 1.7 million registered Afghan refugees and an estimated additional million undocumented Afghans. Since the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021, Pakistan has become a refuge for Afghan journalists, activists, and former government officials, but faces increasing pressure from both the Taliban and domestic constituencies regarding the Afghan presence.
Pakistani police have increased arrests of Afghan journalists in recent days as part of broader crackdown on the Afghan refugee and asylum-seeker community.
Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have deteriorated significantly since 2021, with Islamabad accusing the Taliban of harboring militants who carry out attacks on Pakistani soil, while the Taliban deny these allegations. Pakistan has responded with mass deportations of undocumented Afghans and increased restrictions on those with legal status, creating a humanitarian crisis as hundreds of thousands have been forcibly returned to Afghanistan despite security concerns.
Amnesty International previously expressed concern about illegal detentions of Afghan migrants in Pakistan, warning of human rights violations and lack of due process.
Afghan journalists and media workers in Pakistan face particular vulnerability as both their professional work and refugee status put them at risk of arrest and deportation.
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